Heinrich Hoffmann

Heinrich Hoffmann

Biography: Heinrich Hoffmann (1809-1894) was a German physician and writer, best known for Der Struwwelpeter (1845), which he wrote in response to being unable to find any suitable books for his son's Christmas present. His tale was translated into Latin by P. Wiesmann and into English by Ann. E. Wild for the trilingual edition Shock-Headed Peter in Latin, English, German (Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, 2002).

You'd REALLY better watch out: cautionary tales that will curl your hair, too: in Latin, German, EnglishDr. Heinrich Hoffmann's Der Struwwelpeter, the best known German children's book, was first published in Frankfurt in 1845. "Shock-Headed Peter" or "Slovenly Peter" (as it is mostly known in English speaking countries) has conquered the children's book market of the world not only with dozens of translations but also literally hundreds of imitations, adaptations, take-offs and parodies. These "merry stories and funny pictures for children between 3 and 6 years," as Dr. Hoffmann termed them, are cautionary tales, by turns macabre, touching, and wickedly funny. Where else does every recalcitrant child or cruel adult get his or her "deserts," and that within a few pages?